Helen Westman has been honoured for her service to the community. Photos: Eurobodalla Shire Council.
Eurobodalla Shire Council’s 2026 Local Hero award has gone to Helen Westman for doing something that gives her a natural high. Since 2018, she has been volunteering with Y drive to help learner drivers get their licence.
The Batemans Bay resident works with young people, immigrants and disadvantaged people who are accepted for the Y drive program run by Eurobodalla Shire Council.
Through Y drive she has given almost 3000 volunteer hours and helped more than 25 people get their licence.
Ms Westman’s career as a nurse also saw her helping people. She was a theatre nurse in Canberra. She bought a place in the Far South Coast in the early 2000s and for a while travelled between Canberra and Batemans Bay. When she settled in Eurobodalla permanently, she worked as a drug and alcohol mental health nurse at the community health centres in Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma until she retired in 2014.
She has also been a member of the CWA for 10 years and helps raise money and awareness to assist women in rural areas.
When Ms Westman talks about Y drive, she positively lights up.
“I’m not sure how I got involved with Y drive. It just happened, but it is great,” she said. “I highly recommend it to everybody. We help people who have never had a licence before to get their L-plates and P-plates.”
Eurobodalla Shire Mayor Mat Hatcher with the three Local Hero finalists – Helen Westman, Sofia Keady and Gary Smith.
People accepted into the Y drive program get professional driving lessons and are assigned a mentor which is the role that Ms Westman fills.
Y drive started a program at schools about three years ago. The mentors go to schools once a week to take the students out for a drive to log up their hours.
“I get so much out of the kids I work with at the school,” she said. “It gives me a real high. You see their confidence growing.”
She also enjoys helping other members of the community who qualify for the program and seeing them take a big step in life so they can go to work.
“You see them in the supermarket, and they want to tell you where they have been driving,” Ms Westman said. “It is a natural high just assisting them.”
She said in some cases, the program supplies the vehicle for the young drivers to learn in. There are two cars at each of Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma.
“All the mentors share those two cars and take the community members out for their drive,” she said.
The moment when Eurobodalla’s 2026 Local Hero was named.
Eurobodalla residents who do not have access to the support necessary to complete the licensing requirements, do not have access to a suitable vehicle, are struggling financially or are a twin or triplet can apply for the Y drive program.
Ms Westman said it was funded by Transport for NSW through speeding fines.
Eurobodalla Mayor Mat Hatcher said her award was a fitting recognition of years of quiet service.
“Helen gives her time in a quiet, practical way, and the impact of that support is huge,” he said. “Helen, you’ve made a real difference to people’s lives. On behalf of Eurobodalla, thank you.”
Ms Westman encourages anyone who is patient, good at listening and has a passion to help disadvantaged people get their driving licence to become a Y drive mentor. People can apply by going online or by ringing council on 4474 7470.
The other Local Hero finalists were Gary Smith and Sofia Keady. The award was announced at the Mayor’s Charity Ball at Bay Pavilions on 12 September.
Proceeds from the ticket sales and the live and silent auctions went to support Art Central Moruya, Deadly Runners and Talk2MeBro.
“Thank you to everyone who bought a ticket, placed a bid, donated an item or helped bring the night together,” Mayor Hatcher said. “Every contribution helped support these organisations doing such important work in our community.”
